"Total disrespect to the surfers on the WSL and wish you guys would have talked with us before making this decision."
Pro surfers, and by pro surfers the guns on the Championship Tour, which includes the world champ Yago Dora, are furious tonight after the International Surfing Association slashed the number of Olympic qualifiers coming out of the CT from ten to five, with only one competitor per nation instead of two.
There’ll be 24 men, 24 gals and each country can qualify up to three surfers per gender, through the multiple pathways, which includes ISA contests and regional events.
These surfers on the Championship Tour, whose careers are already doomed to a pitiful shortness, and are acutely aware of Kauli Vaast’s fame after his gold medal, lit up on the ISA’s Instagram account.
Yago Dora: Complete disrespect on the way you guys conducted this absolutely sad for our sport and future generations of surfers.
João Chianca: Sad to see that ! It’s crazy to see that you guys from @isasurfing always act behind our backs (tour surfers ) and came up with the most unfair qualifying system ! Not respecting our opinions and managing this Olympic opportunity so badly.
Erin Brooks: Consistency at the highest level is what defines competitive surfing. The @wsl Championship Tour is where that happens, and the @olympics qualification pathway should more strongly reflect that.
Leo Fioravanti: Completely disagree with this qualification system. The qualification system in the last 2 Olympics worked perfect. Having 10 surfers from the @wsl world tour was the best way to make sure the best surfers in the world made it to the Olympics.
Now the 2027 WSL world champion isn’t event guaranteed to compete in the Olympics To be clear, on behalf of the WSL surfers, we tried to communicate with the ISA to find the best solution for everyone but the ISA was not willing to work with any of the WSL surfers.
I don’t think this is the way to move forward and make our sport better not only for our generation but for future generations.
Lakey Peterson: What a bummer to see this. Total disrespect to the surfers on the WSL and wish you guys would have talked with us before making this decision, as we tried to have meetings several times with you guys and you canceled, going behind our backs and not allowing an open line of communication to the Surfers who’s lives are effected by this. This is so bad for the surfers and the sport.
No sign of breakout Olympian Filipe Toledo.
I think kinda cute to force the major players into the steaming, stinking, sewer-vapourous, soul-smiting hell of regional events and the ISA Games.
You?